The Psychoanalyst as Dramatist

ABSTRACT

Extending psychoanalysis-drama comparisons proffered by prior theorists, Dr. Karbelnig introduces the novel concept of the psychoanalytic denouement. He differentiates these from Aristotle’s concepts of anagnorisis and peripeteia, and he compares them to phenomenon like Satori from Zen Buddhism or the “Aha” moment from the contemporary lexicon. Transcripts from three consecutive sessions (completely anonymized) demonstrate psychoanalytic denouements. Two sessions show clear psychoanalytic denouements; one, featuring an overtly psychotic patient, reveals intense emotional expression and cognitive insight but no psychoanalytic denouement. These clinical samples illustrate how theatrical metaphors incorporate phenomenological and theoretical perspectives, allow for micro- or macroscopic studies of psychoanalytic encounters, and confirm their inimitable nature. Dr. Karbelnig concludes by noting these analogies to drama helpfully expand extant metapsychology but, like all theories of mind, necessarily fall short.

KEYWORDS:

• Drama
• theater
• psychoanalyst-as-dramatist
• psychoanalytic denouement
• fairbairn
• transformation

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No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Additional information

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Alan Michael Karbelnig

Alan Michael Karbelnig, Ph.D., ABPP, a training and supervising psychoanalyst, provides psychoanalytically oriented individual and couples psychotherapy in Pasadena, California. Board certified in forensic psychology, he also offers psycho-legal services in the realms of administrative and employment law. He earned doctorates in Counseling Psychology from the University of Southern California (USC) and in Psychoanalysis from the New Center for Psychoanalysis (NCP). He founded Rose City Center (RCC)—a not-for-profit psychoanalytic clinic serving economically disadvantaged individuals in California.